Disposable toothbrush



Oct. 275.1970 .|.s.wARc;oE 3,536,410.

DISPOSABLE TOOTHBRUSH Filed Oct. 18. 1968 INVENTOR. Y

JOSEPH s. WARGOEy United States Patent O U.s. c1. 4in-'132 6 claims ABSTRACT F THE DISCLOSURE A disposable toothbrush molded from plastic material and having a cavity in the brush portion for retaining a capsule holding a dentirice with a finger-removable closure for the self dispensing of the dentrifice to the brush.

This invention relates in general to toothbrushes and more particularly to a disposable toothbrush molded from plastic material and including a capsule for retaining and dispensing a dentifrice.

Prior low cost disposable toothbrushes do not include means for retaining a dentifrice, which is usually provided in a separate container with attendant disadvantages.

The present invention overcomes the above objection and disadvantage by the provision of a disposable toothbrush in which a dentifrice is retained in a container in the bristle portion of the brush, which capsule is provided with a manually removable sealed closure.

A principal object of the invention is the provision of a low cost molded plastic toothbrush handle member having an endless row of bristles on one side of an end portion thereof including an elongated cavity through the bristle portion of the brush portion for frictionally retaining a container for a dentifrice.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a disposable toothbrush in which a dentrice container is retained in the bristle end thereof with said container having a finger removable sealed closure of flexible plastic material for permitting the dentifrice to engage the bristles. l

These and other objects and advantages in two embodiments of the invention are Shown and described in the following specification and drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective underside view of the brush.

FIG.2 is a perspective top side view of the brush shown in FIG. l.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary enlarged cross sectional side elevation of the brush taken through section line 3-3, FIG. l.

FIG. 4 is a cross sectional end elevation taken through section line 4-4, FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view of the brush shown in FIG. 1 with the closure of the dentifrice container partially removed.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary enlarged exploded view of the brush with the dentifrice container removed therefrom.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of an alternate construction of the brush shown in FIG. l.

rReferring t0 FIGS. 1 and 2, the handle member 1 includes a brush portion molded from low cost plastic material, such as polystyrene, and includes a plurality of bristles 2 molded therein, preferably in a single row in one side of the brush portion, as shown. An elongated aperture 3, through the brush portion of the handle and central of the bristles, is provided to frictionally retain a capsule or container 4, also molded of low cost plastic material, and provided with stop projections 5 integral with the container, to be hereinafter described.

The side of the container facing the bristles is open and retains a dentifrice 6 in the aperture 3. A folded plastic film strip has the lower end 7 thereof sealed over the ice open end of the container 4 by a pressure sensitive adhesive. The folded upper end 8 of the strip projects upward between the bristles terminating n a finger tab 9 for the convenient removal of the entire strip for exposing the dentifrice for permeating the bristles,

:Referring to FIG. 6, the container 4 is shown displaced from the handle member 1 and the handle member is provided with a pair of arcuate cavities 10 at opposite sides of the aperture 3 for engaging the stop projections 5 when assembled.

It is to be noted that the opposite sides of the aperture 3 of the brush portion of the handle member 1 are molded with a slight inward curvature to provide a relatively high frictional fit when expanded by the insertion of the container 4 for the quick replacement of a used container when required.

FIG. 7 shows an alternate construction whereby the handle member 1a is detachable from the brush portion 1b by a well known detent socket means 11 whereby the brushing head may be replaced while retaining a permanent larger handle member 1a.

FIG. 7 also illustrates a latch mechanism 12 which may be used for engagement in a power oscillating handle means.

In operation, the user removes the folded closure by grasping tab 9 by the fingers and pulling the projection from the container 4, thus permitting the dentifrice to permeate along the bristles while the brush is being used.

Normally for hygienic purposes, the brush described is packaged ready for use in a iilm envelope. In the event the handle and brush portion is not discarded after use, spare dentifrice containers may be substituted.

This invention comprehends certain modifications in construction which utilize the features above described.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. A disposable toothbrush comprising a plastic body member having a handle and -brush portion,

an elongated aperture centrally extending through said brush portion,

a plurality of bristles molded in and extending from one side of said brush portion and adjacent said aperture,

an elongated plastic container open at one side thereof frictionally retained in said aperture with the open side thereof facing the bristle side of said brush portion,

a. predetermined quantity of dentifrice in said container,

a plastic film closure for said container,

adhesive means for sealing said closure on said container over said open side thereof whereby the manual removal of said closure from said container will permit the said dentifrice to "permeate said bristles when said brush is used.

2. The construction recited in claim 1 including a projection extending from the rear side of said container for positioning the latter into said aperture when inserted therein.

3. A toothbrush comprising a plastic body member having a handle and a brush portion,

an elongated aperture centr-ally extending through said brush portion,

an elongated endless row of bristles molded in and extending substantially normal from one side of said brush portion adjacent said aperture,

an elongated container open at one side thereof and dimensioned to frictionally be retained in said aperture with said open side thereof facing the bristle side of said brush portion,

a predetermined quantity of dentifrice in said container,

a folded plastic film closure for said container,

adhesive means sealing one portion of said closure on an elongated container open at one side thereof and said container over said open side thereof and the dimensioned to frictionally be retained in said aperremaining portion of said lm converging upward ture With said open side thereof facing the ,bristle from said bristles for grasping by the ngers whereside of said brush portion, by the manual removal of said closure from said 5 a predetermined quantity vof dentifrice in said concontainer 4will permit said dentifrice to permeate said tainer, bristles when said brush is used. a plastic lm closure for said container,

4. The construction recited in claim 3 including an inpressure sensitive vadhesive means for sealing said clostegral tab extending a predetermined distance from the ure over said open side of said container whereby the end of said remaining portion of said plastic film norlo manual removal of said closure from said container mally positioned above said bristles for convenient grasp will permit the said dentifrice to permeate said ,by the ugers, bristles when said brushed is used and whereby a 5. The construction recited in claim 3 including a latch said brush portion may be manually removed from means on the end of said handle opposite said brush por- Sadi handle member and a substitute one theerof tion for detachable engagement with a power oscillating 15 ataChed t0 Said member.

handle means.

6. A toothbrush comprising a plastic handle member References Cited and a separable plastic brush portion, UNITED STATES PATENTS detent socket means at the junction between said han- 1 50 7 3/1 3 dle member and said brush portion to detachably re- 20 2331933 133g tain said brush portion to said handle member, an elongated aperture centrally extending through said HARLAND S. SKOGQUIST primary Examiner brush portion, a plurality of bristles molded in and extending substan- U.S. Cl. X.R.

tially normal from one side of said brush portion 25 401-268 and adjacent said aperture, 

